Effingham Community Orchestra musicians and volunteers were out in the community promoting the eighth annual holiday concert and homemade cookie sale and selling tickets for their annual fundraising raffle from September through November. The item being raffled was a new Fender acoustic guitar pack including the guitar and accessories.

On Dec. 26, the Rincon Police Department sent two representatives to New York to participate in the funeral ceremony for the fallen New York Police Department Officer Rafael Ramos. Rincon Police Cpl. Devlin Crosby and Detective Don Wood arrived in New York to attend the funeral for Officer Ramos held Saturday

A festive holiday mood, the sound of holiday music, the aroma of homemade cookies, and hundreds of people filled the Effingham County Recreation and Parks Department gymnasium Dec. 7 at Effingham Community Orchestra's eighth annual holiday concert and homemade cookie sale.

The Living History Site gave a glimpse of an old-time Christmas on Saturday. Olde Effingham Christmas was held in conjunction with extended shopping hours by Springfield merchants, a sausage and grits supper at Springfield City Hall and a performance by the DePue Brothers Band at the Mars Theatre.